(PM-23) Difference between expected and experienced pain in hyaluronic acid penile girth enhancement procedures: a cross-sectional study

Abstract Introduction Penile girth enhancement is a procedure sought by men aiming to increase penile circumference. However, concerns about pain often deter patients from undergoing the procedure, as it is perceived to be painful. The aim of this study is to assess the expected pain levels and the actual pain experienced by patients during hyaluronic acid penile girth enhancement procedures. Methods A cross-sectional, single-center study was conducted involving men who sought private care for penile girth enhancement from July to October 2024. Before the procedure, patients reported expected pain using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), a multidimensional tool that assesses pain intensity, providing a comprehensive pain profile for effective clinical management (variable 0-10, 0 = no pain, 5 = moderate pain and 10 = worst pain). After the procedure, patients answered the same pain intensity questions. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to compare the differences between the two moments. All statistical and graphical analyses were performed using RStudio. Results We evaluated 63 men with an average age of 41.71 years (25-68). The median expected pain level was VAS 6, while the median experienced pain level was 2. ​​The minimum value for VAS Expected it was 2, and for VAS Experienced was 0. The 1st quartile values were 5 for VAS Expected and 1 for VAS Experienced. The 3rd quartile values 7 for VAS Expected and 3 for VAS Experienced. The maximum values were 9 for VAS Expected and 7 for VAS Experienced. There is a significant difference between the expected and experienced pain levels during the procedure (p < 0.001). Conclusions In this pilot study, our findings suggest that the penile girth enhancement procedure with hyaluronic acid is associated with an expected moderate level of pain and pain experienced was minimal. This discrepancy suggests that patients may overestimate the pain associated with penile girth enhancement procedures. Financing No conflict.